The present disclosure discloses an art which is used in a system including a plurality of electronic mail communication apparatuses and an electronic mail server.
A related facsimile multifunction apparatus has a function of executing an electronic mail communication via an individual mail server, and a function (the so-called direct SMTP) of executing an electronic mail communication in accordance with the SMTP (Simple Mail Transform Protocol) and not via an individual mail server.
In the case where a facsimile multifunction apparatus is to transmit an electronic mail to a terminal device by using the direct SMTP, the facsimile multifunction apparatus and the terminal device establish a communication session. Usually, the terminal device transmits reception information indicative of reception of the electronic mail, to the facsimile multifunction apparatus by using the communication session which is used for receiving the electronic mail. Therefore, the facsimile multifunction apparatus can know that the terminal device receives the electronic mail.
On the other hand, in the case where the facsimile multifunction apparatus is to transmit an electronic mail to a terminal device via an individual mail server, the facsimile multifunction apparatus transmits the electronic mail to the individual mail server. The terminal device receives the electronic mail which is transmitted from the facsimile multifunction apparatus, and which is stored in the individual mail server, from the individual mail server. Namely, the terminal device receives the electronic mail transmitted from the facsimile multifunction apparatus, without establishing a communication session with the facsimile multifunction apparatus. In the electronic mail communication via the individual mail server, therefore, the facsimile multifunction apparatus cannot receive reception information from the terminal device in the same manner as the electronic mail communication using the direct SMTP.
In the disclosure, an art is provided in which, both in the case where the electronic mail communication is executed via the electronic mail server, and in the case where the electronic mail communication is executed not via the electronic mail server, the electronic mail communication apparatus which is the transmission source of the electronic mail can know that the electronic mail is received by the electronic mail communication apparatus which is the transmission destination of the electronic mail.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, the following arrangements are provided.
An electronic mail receiving apparatus that is to be used in a system including an electronic mail transmitting apparatus, the electronic mail receiving apparatus, and an electronic mail server which is configured separately from the electronic mail transmitting apparatus and the electronic mail receiving apparatus, the electronic mail receiving apparatus comprising:
a communicating unit configured to execute a first-kind electronic mail communication performed via the electronic mail server, and a second-kind electronic mail communication performed not via the electronic mail server, the second-kind electronic mail communication using a communication session established between the electronic mail transmitting apparatus and the electronic mail receiving apparatus; and
a mail output controller configured to control an outputting unit to output an electronic mail received from the electronic mail transmitting apparatus by the communicating unit,
wherein the communicating unit includes:
a first information transmitting portion configured to, in a first case where a first-kind electronic mail from the electronic mail transmitting apparatus is received by executing the first-kind electronic mail communication, transmit, to the electronic mail transmitting apparatus, first reception information indicating that the first-kind electronic mail is received before the first-kind electronic mail is output by the outputting unit; and
a second information transmitting portion configured to, in a second case where a second-kind electronic mail from the electronic mail transmitting apparatus is received by executing the second-kind electronic mail communication by using the communication session, transmit, to the electronic mail transmitting apparatus, second reception information indicating that the second-kind electronic mail is received by using the communication session.
An electronic mail transmitting apparatus that is to be used in a system including the electronic mail transmitting apparatus, an electronic mail receiving apparatus and an electronic mail server which is configured separately from the electronic mail transmitting apparatus and the electronic mail receiving apparatus, the electronic mail transmitting apparatus comprising:
a communicating unit configured to execute a first-kind electronic mail communication performed via the electronic mail server, and a second-kind electronic mail communication performed not via the electronic mail server, the second-kind electronic mail communication using a communication session established between the electronic mail transmitting apparatus and the electronic mail receiving apparatus,
wherein the communicating unit includes:
a first information receiving portion configured to, in a first case where a first-kind electronic mail is transmitted to the electronic mail receiving apparatus by executing the first-kind electronic mail communication, receive first reception information indicating that a first-kind electronic mail is received, from the electronic mail receiving apparatus, and
a second information receiving portion configured to, in a second case where a second-kind electronic mail is transmitted to the electronic mail receiving apparatus by executing the second-kind electronic mail communication by using the communication session, receive second reception information indicating that the second-kind electronic mail is received, from the electronic mail receiving apparatus by using the communication session, and
wherein the first reception information is transmitted from the electronic mail receiving apparatus before the first-kind electronic mail is output by an outputting unit of the electronic mail receiving apparatus.
A network system comprising:
an electronic mail transmitting apparatus;
an electronic mail receiving apparatus; and
an electronic mail server which is configured separately from the electronic mail transmitting apparatus and the electronic mail receiving apparatus,
wherein the electronic mail transmitting apparatus includes:                a first communicating unit configured to execute a first-kind electronic mail communication performed via the electronic mail server to transmit a first-kind electronic mail, and a second-kind electronic mail communication performed not via the electronic mail server to transmit a second-kind electronic mail, the second-kind electronic mail communication using a communication session established between the electronic mail transmitting apparatus and the electronic mail receiving apparatus,        
wherein the electronic mail receiving apparatus includes:                a second communicating unit configured to execute a third-kind electronic mail communication to receive the first-kind electronic mail from the first communicating unit, and the second-kind electronic mail communication to receive the second-kind electronic mail; and        
a mail output controller configured to control an outputting unit to output one of the first-kind and second-kind electronic mail received from the electronic mail transmitting apparatus by the second communicating unit,
wherein the second communicating portion includes:                a first information transmitting portion configured to, in a case where the second communicating unit receives the first-kind electronic mail from the first communicating unit, transmit, to the electronic mail transmitting apparatus, first reception information indicating that the first-kind electronic mail is received before the first-kind electronic mail is output by the outputting unit; and        a second information transmitting unit configured to, in a case where the second communicating unit receives the second-kind electronic mail from the first communicating unit, transmit, to the electronic mail transmitting apparatus, second reception information indicating that the second-kind electronic mail is received by using the communication session, and        
wherein the first communicating unit includes:
a first information receiving portion configured to receive the first reception information from the first information transmitting unit, and
a second information receiving portion configured to receive the second reception information from the second information transmitting unit by using the communication session.